This application claims the priority of German Patent Document 100 41 745.0, filed Aug. 25, 2000, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
This invention relates to a selection device for setting the driving speed of a vehicle and, in particular, to a selection device having an operating element and a control device that is connected with the operating element and that is coupled with an engine control. The control device is designed so that upon the activation of the engine control, the vehicle speed will be automatically regulated. At least two vehicle speed values can be marked and these values can be started up by working the operating element. A display allows one to indicate the marked speed values.
Such selection devices are known, for example, by the tradename xe2x80x9cTempomatxe2x80x9d. To increase comfort, especially during long drives at constant speed, it is possible via an operating element to select a vehicle speed that is then regulated automatically and without any action by the driver (FGR mode).
It is furthermore known that the operating element (for example, an operating lever) and an associated control can be designed so that the vehicle speed can be increased or reduced by using the operating element. If the operating element is used over a correspondingly long period of time, one can thus also work toward speeds other than the adjusted vehicle speeds. Reference is made in this connection to German patent documents DE 196 46 104 C1, DE 35 43 163 A1, as well as European patent document EP 0 188 455 B1).
German patent document DE 198 50 686 A1 discloses a typical selection device for the purpose of setting the driving speed of a vehicle. Due to the corresponding design of the operating element and the control device, one can mark at least two vehicle speeds here, and they can be initiated by using the operating element.
But there is one problem connected with the practical design of such a selection device: the operating element should have as many as possible, self-explanatory, functions combined with the smallest possible number of contacts that can be activated. Furthermore, the operator, for instance, must get a signal when the maximum number of programmable vehicle speed values has been attained. Besides, simple programming and activation of the selection device should be possible.
The object of the present invention is to solve these problems.
These problems are solved according to the present invention by a selection device for setting the driving speed of a vehicle having a pointer marking that can be moved by using the operating element. The pointer marking is provided on the display in addition to the marked vehicle speed values. In an operating mode of the control unit (programming mode), the marked speed values for the speed values to be marked can be set and erased by working with the pointer marking. In a second operating mode of the control unit, the set speed values can be activated by working with the pointer.
Accordingly, on a display on which the set speed values can be displayed, there is additionally displayed a pointer marking that can be moved by working the operating element, hereafter referred to as a cursor. In an operating mode of the control unit, which hereafter will be referred to as a programming mode, the set vehicle speeds (or the vehicle speeds that are to be set) can be posted and erased by the use of the cursor. In a second operating mode of the control unit, which hereafter will be referred to as FGR mode (driving speed regulation mode), the set vehicle speed values can be activated by using the cursor.
Supplementing the display of the programmed vehicle speed values, one uses a pointer that in a practical manner, differs in terms of its shape and/or color and/or arrangement from the normal markings for the set vehicle speeds. By means of this pointer, one can support the programming, and the current status of the dialing device can be displayed. Preferably, the cursor can also be operated with the vehicle standing still.
Furthermore, information as to the selection of a certain operating mode can be supplied by means of the cursor. For example, the xe2x80x9cprogramming mode,xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9cFGR mode,xe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cdeactivated ACC modexe2x80x9d states can be displayed by means of a differing color, a differing flashing frequency or a cursor that is turned off.
A particularly preferred embodiment is characterized by the following: the cursor, at least in the programming mode when passing through a specific speed range around a set speed marker, is set precisely on that vehicle speed (i.e., the set speed marker within the range). In that way, one can ensure a minimum interval between two adjustable vehicle speeds. If during its movement the cursor reaches the corresponding vehicle speed range, then it jumps directly to the set vehicle speed. A corresponding example will be explained in the following exemplary embodiment. This embodiment proves to be particularly advantageous for the functional design of the operating element. The cursor can be set only at the corresponding marker in the range around the existing speed markers. Therefore, a separate erase order can definitely be matched up with this speed marker. In that way, one can rule out any ambiguity due to inaccurate positioning. By means of this measure, one can implement the operating functions xe2x80x9cerasexe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9csetxe2x80x9d by means of the equal activation of the selection lever in each case.
If the selection device is in the FGR mode, then the cursor can only start at specifically set vehicle speeds according to a specific embodiment.
Preferably, it is only possible to set a certain number of vehicle speeds. On reaching this maximum number of vehicle speed markers, the cursorxe2x80x94also in the programming modexe2x80x94can only be set for the already-set vehicle speed values. In this way, it can be indicated to the operator in a self-explanatory manner that any further storage of a vehicle speed is not possible and that an already-set vehicle speed marker must be erased before an additional vehicle speed marker is set. In that way, the operator can be informed as to the system state without any additional display.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.